Communications channels provide for the transmission of signals, which are usually video, audio, and discrete signals. The bandwidth of a communications channel limits the number of signals that can be transmitted over the channel and thus determines how much information may be transmitted across the communications channel. Many communications links, particularly those transmitting video signals, require a system with the capability to transmit large quantities of information over the limited bandwidth of the communications link by employing techniques for combining and modulating signals.
Often, the physical parameters of the communications link become a significant design consideration for a communications system. The weight and physical size of the communications medium for transmitting signals may be limited by a design environment. This further requires that, since the bandwidth of the system is limited, a communications system must have techniques for transmitting more information without changing the bandwidth of the communications channel.
Fiber optic communications links provide for a significant weight reduction of the communications channel. However, a fiber optic link also has a limited bandwidth that may not be sufficient for transmitting, by conventional communications systems, the number of signals required. While fiber optic cables may be grouped into a bundle to transmit more signals, certain design environments either do not allow for more than a single fiber optic cable or could significantly benefit from the use of only a single fiber optic cable to transmit all of the required signals.
There is, therefore, a need for a communications system capable of transmitting a plurality of multiple video, audio, and discrete signals across a single fiber optic cable.
The present invention solves these and other shortcomings of the prior art described above. The present invention also solves other shortcomings of the prior art which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification.